October 2nd, 2008
By Renn Vara
I realize saying shut up isn’t polite. If it makes you feel better, use the term “active listening.” Here’s the format we suggest for shutting up during a sales meeting:
- Once through the initial introductions and pleasantries, begin the substance of the meeting with a dialogue opener. This includes an agenda statement, a reference to time and ends with an open ended question. 30 seconds tops.
- Once you ask the question, actively listen to their answer. Tip: Think of their answer as a list of issues, concerns, or observations. If you can, write the list down.
- When they run out of air, repeat or restate the list back to them eliminating their emotion and agenda. Use common sense. You don’t need to repeat everything, just the top points. And don’t sound like a therapist for god’s sake.
- Always end with another question. Here you can probe on one of their points or create a separate open ended question to lead in a certain direction. But be careful. Don’t drive your agenda unless it ties back directly to their issues, concerns and observations. And whatever you do, fight the urge to pitch.
- Abide by the 55/5 rule. Your customer talks 55 minutes for every 5 minutes you talk.
- Keep your customer talking until given “professional status.” This means you don’t talk about your product or service until they directly ask you for your opinion or ideas.
- You can do this process – common sense prevails – a number of times. But be sure you’re really listening. Don’t pretend.
- Then end the meeting early with a summary, next steps and calendar date if appropriate for follow up and/or a next meeting.
Why do this? Because people value people who listen. Be a person of value. This active listening should result in giving you the type of information and insight you need to better serve your customer. Use it but don’t abuse it.
Filed under All, CommTips.
September 30th, 2008
By Dave Imperiale
Virgin America is Awesome….
…if you’re a teenage girl from Eastern Europe and you’ve never been on an airplane before.
When I step foot onto a plane all I ask for are general feelings of safety and comfort. While other airlines aren’t always successful in providing those sentiments, I also don’t feel like I’ve been dosed before walking into a club. I don’t want to be enclosed in an aircraft where the predominant lighting is neon and the choice of music is House. “Trippy” is not the experience I’m looking for.
This feeling becomes even more prevalent when VA presses play on their psychedelic cartoon version of a safety video.
At first I was hopeful – a fresh interpretation of a universally futile message. But about ten seconds in it starts to feel like Ralph Steadman was commissioned to scare the sh*t out of you before takeoff. Please watch it, and imagine you’re on the plane. My personal highlights: (more…)
Filed under All, Dave Imperiale.
September 25th, 2008
By Renn Vara
One of our long time customers speaks passionately about how times like these create the opportunity for firms to take market share. His point is that when facing financial hits, most companies naturally adopt the bunker mentality and pull back. That means that those companies which do the opposite can take ground much like pulling on a rope in a classic tug of war. So here’s what we’re doing in the next few weeks:
1. We’re meeting with each of our customers to find out how this financial crisis is impacting their business and how we can help. In the past, we’ve been able to keep projects going through creative options. We’re good at it.
2. We’ve targeted a number of other companies in our space to introduce them to SNP and our services. The whole SNP team is getting involved. The point is to help them get their work done in the most creative ways.
3. We’re aggressively meeting with other firms like ours to discuss partnership ideas so we can better serve all of our customers. Finding ways to package solutions to eliminate duplication helps. It’s what we do.
You get the idea. Along with this, we’re increasing our commitment to sales and sales people. Time to take some ground. What about you and your team? Let us know. But don’t tell bunker-mentality competitors what you’re doing. Who reads blogs anyway?
Tags: corporate communications,
innovation,
management
Filed under All, Corporate Media.
September 23rd, 2008
By Renn Vara
Today I had a minor epiphany. It’s been a week of sales and customer meetings, which I really enjoy. Different personalities and business needs and challenges. All levels of responsibility from directors to senior VPs, even a CEO or two. On one plane ride back to San Francisco, I thought about my role in all this. Where’s my place? I didn’t come up with an answer but it got me thinking:
1. I don’t like working with business people who are political. For that matter, I don’t like political people who treat politics like business.
2. I like people who focus on their job rather than focusing on their next job.
3. I like to be of value and hate when I’m not.
4. I like being busy doing cool stuff and helping people be successful.
5. I’m not very good at office work, finding that I’m better meeting and working with customers and potential customers. (more…)
Filed under All, Corporate Media.
September 16th, 2008
By Renn Vara
With yesterday’s financial news, I’m having déjà-vu all over again. Could it be that we’re facing another drastic fall out in the current business cycle? Having been here to some degree a few times in the past, let me steal some unattributed quotes as a guide for getting through the next few months. (more…)
Filed under All, Corporate Media.
August 26th, 2008
By Julianne Manske
I have a confession to make. After months of mocking it, I used the word ping.
For awhile now, I’ve been aware of this word and a little unclear on its meaning. If you’re asking me to ping you, do you want me to email you? call you? IM you? If so, why don’t you just say that instead?
Ping has rapidly increased in trendiness, and I’m hearing it more and more. (I recently passed a woman on the street wearing a Ping Me shirt. Isn’t that reason enough to stop using it?) (more…)
Tags: corporate communications
Filed under All, Digital Natives.
August 19th, 2008
By Renn Vara
Watching our Presidential candidates speak is driving me crazy. Do you mind if I go off a bit?
Content aside, I can’t believe their staffs aren’t emphasizing eye contact. This is presentation skills 101. So just in case someone knows someone who can do something about this, please pass on this advice: (more…)
Tags: election 2008,
presentation skills
Filed under All, CommTips.
August 13th, 2008
By Renn Vara
As a career military, self-described “killer,” our father would commonly explain that true leaders lead bullet-filled battle charges without looking back to see if the troops are following. His logic was if a leader has to confirm loyalty, in our father’s words, “He’s already dead.” This explains a lot about me doesn’t it? (more…)
Tags: leadership training
Filed under All, Leadership.
August 5th, 2008
By Renn Vara
When we had our first baby, we weren’t prepared for the onslaught of unsolicited advice. We got it from anyone and everyone. Of course we expected it from the grandparents but not total strangers standing in line at our local Safeway. But that’s where the best advice I ever received came from. And it was this, “Love your kids like crazy and do what works.” (more…)
Tags: corporate communications
Filed under All, Corporate Media.
July 24th, 2008
By Dave Imperiale
It’s been three months since I joined the Facebook and I’m now mostly just annoyed with it. Every morning when I get up I do two things: I check the temperature/forecast on New York 1 and I check the Yankee score/standings (in season). Now I have to click on one more bookmarked page every morning. I don’t want to. I find no real pleasure in it. I won’t compare it to drugs or booze because it’s not as good. I don’t know why I do it. I’m not sure what I think will happen or who I’m waiting for. I’m already friends with everyone I know on there. Yet more keep finding me. (more…)
Filed under All, Dave Imperiale.
